Do you want to get in shape but can’t find time for a long workout? You’re not alone.
It’s hard to fit in workouts with our busy lives. That’s where a 3-day gym workout plan comes in. This approach allows you to maximize your efforts while still leaving room for other commitments, such as work or family.
In this blog, we will discuss the best three-day workout split to help you reach your fitness goals without wasting too much time.
So, let’s dive in and discover the best one for you.
Push/Pull/Legs Split
The Push/Pull/Legs split is one of the most popular and effective workout routines for building muscle, strength, and endurance.
- Push: This exercise focuses on the muscles used in pushing movements, mainly the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It targets the front of the body and emphasizes pressing or pushing motions.
- Pull: This exercise involves the muscles responsible for pulling movements, primarily the back and biceps. It works on pulling or rowing motions, targeting the back, rear shoulders, and arms.
- Legs: This day is dedicated to the lower body, targeting the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It helps build strong, powerful legs and improves overall balance and mobility.
The beauty of this plan is its simplicity and effectiveness. Between sessions, you get enough rest for each muscle group, allowing optimal recovery and performance.
It’s great for beginners and experienced lifters looking to balance strength training and muscle growth.
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Overhead Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Tricep Dips (Bodyweight or Weighted) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Cable Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 |
Day 2: Pull (Back & Bicep)
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 4 | 5-6 |
| Pull-Ups (Assisted if needed) | 4 | 6-8 |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 8-10 |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-10 |
| Barbell or EZ Bar Bicep Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
Day 3: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Core)
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squats | 4 | 6-8 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8-10 |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
| Plank | 3 | 30-60 sec |
Classic 3-Day Workout Splits
This Classic Bodybuilder 3-Day Split is perfect for those aiming to build symmetry and mass:
- Session 1 targets the chest and triceps, focusing on pressing and pushing movements for upper body development.
- Session 2 works the back and biceps, emphasizing pulling exercises to create a wide and thick back while also building the arms.
- Session 3 hits the legs and shoulders, combining lower body strength training with shoulder isolation to ensure balanced overall growth.
Session 1: Chest, Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Chest Flyes | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable Crossovers | 3 | 10-12 |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Tricep Dips (Bodyweight or Weighted) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension | 3 | 10-12 |
Session 2: Back, Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 4 | 5-6 |
| Pull-Ups (Assisted if needed) | 4 | 6-8 |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 8-10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-10 |
| Barbell or EZ Bar Bicep Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
| Concentration Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
Session 3: Legs, Shoulders
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squats | 4 | 6-8 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8-10 |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 10-12 |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
3 Day Balanced Strength Split
The 3-Day Balanced Strength Split is designed for those who want a well-rounded approach to building strength and muscle while also maximizing efficiency. This split combines the best full-body, upper-body, and lower-body workouts to target all major muscle groups with just three weekly gym sessions.
- Day 1: focuses on full-body strength, hitting multiple muscle groups with compound exercises like deadlifts, squats, and presses. This sets the tone for the week by stimulating muscle growth and building overall power.
- Day 2: focuses on the upper body—chest, back, and shoulders—helping you develop upper body strength, improve posture, and build mass.
- Day 3: give your legs the attention they also need while strengthening your core muscles, which are crucial for stability and overall performance.
With this routine, you’ll get a balance of strength training, muscle activation, and adequate rest.
Day 1: Full-Body Strength Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlifts | 4 | 5-6 |
| Barbell Squats | 4 | 6-8 |
| Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 |
| Pull-Ups (Assisted if needed) | 3 | 6-8 |
| Dumbbell Overhead Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Plank | 3 | 30-60 sec |
Day 2: Upper Body (Chest, Back, Shoulders)
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Press | 4 | 6-8 |
| Barbell Rows | 4 | 6-8 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-10 |
| Seated Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Chest Flyes | 3 | 10-12 |
Day 3: Lower Body & Core
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian Deadlifts | 4 | 6-8 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
Full-Body 3-Day Workout Routine
This Full-Body 3-Day Workout Routine ensures you hit all major muscle groups in each session while varying the intensity to focus on strength, hypertrophy, and endurance:
- Day 1 focuses on strength, using compound movements to build overall power and muscle.
- Day 2 emphasizes hypertrophy, with higher rep ranges to promote muscle growth and volume.
- Day 3 blends endurance and core work, improving stamina and strengthening your core for stability.
This routine is ideal for anyone looking to build muscle, gain strength, and improve overall conditioning.
Day 1: Full-Body Strength Focus
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squats | 4 | 6-8 |
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 |
| Bent-Over Barbell Rows | 4 | 6-8 |
| Standing Overhead Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8-10 |
| Plank | 3 | 30-60 sec |
Day 2: Full-Body Hypertrophy Focus
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 4 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 |
| Barbell or Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
Day 3: Full-Body Endurance & Core Focus
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 4 | 6-8 |
| Push-Ups (Weighted if needed) | 4 | 10-12 |
| Pull-Ups (Assisted if needed) | 4 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Step-Ups | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Cable Rows | 3 | 10-12 |
| Russian Twists (Weighted) | 3 | 15-20 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
References
- Rodrigues F, Monteiro D, Ferraz R, Branquinho L, Forte P. The Association between Training Frequency, Symptoms of Overtraining and Injuries in Young Men Soccer Players. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 11;20(8):5466. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20085466. PMID: 37107750; PMCID: PMC10138529.
- Blair SN, Kohl HW 3rd, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Clark DG, Cooper KH, Gibbons LW. Physical fitness and all-cause mortality. A prospective study of healthy men and women. JAMA. 1989 Nov 3;262(17):2395-401. doi: 10.1001/jama.262.17.2395. PMID: 2795824.
- Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):2857-72. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3. PMID: 20847704.
- Willardson JM. A brief review: factors affecting the length of the rest interval between resistance exercise sets. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 Nov;20(4):978-84. PMID: 17194236.
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